Paraclete HPC – Pararescue Special Version
If you are into US Pararescue teams and their equipment, you`ll have seen many gear modifications over the last years.
I`d like to talk about one in particular: Paraclete`s special USAF / PJ Hard Plate Carriers.
The origin of these mods is still not 100% confirmed but it is said that Paraclete itself does them in very, very small quantities on special orders. I think it really doesn`t matter if a local US base tailor or a manufacturer did these mods – in the end it`s all about the changes and the new specifications.
For getting a better idea about what`s the special versions really made of / looks like – here are some nice reference shots:
It`s a mixture between a version with cummerbund and one without it! The PJ version got rid of the annoying zipper and features a different approach to cummerbund fastening and molle layout. Also check the altered version of the shoulder straps and velcro closure! This is da shit!
Here are two links for easy comparison with the regular MSA models:
PARACLETE HPC #1
PARACLETE HPC #2
For those of you looking for a perfect PJ impression (with this kind of modded HPC) or if you are only into collecting, this version seems a tough one to get. I never saw one of these for sale nor did someone do a correct mod by himself.
Perhaps you have time to look for one of these on Egay or you are lucky enough to know somebody that knows somebody that might have one of these for sale.
Or you have tailoring skills, money and a nice sewing machine that will allow you to merge two standard HPC (one with and one without cummerbund) + extras (e.g. buckles, straps) into this piece of Pararecue nylon gold…
In either way – good luck!
G E A R D O S H I T 
[…] FAZIT: Der Hard Plate Carrier ist ein kleiner, sehr effizienter PC. Er sitz relativ hoch, was aber gut ist, weil so die Platten dort liegen, wo sie sein sollen. Das Original von Paraclete unterscheidt sich nicht nachhaltig vom Nachbau von Pantac. Die gröbste Differenz ist wohl die Farbgebung, denn Pantac ist Khaki (fast MJK), während das Coyote Brown von MSA Paraclete etwas heller ist (vergleiche erste Bild). Mehr Infos zum Original gibt es hier. Gesehen wird der HPC vor allem bei SF und PJs (bei letzteren aber etwas modifiziert, sehr schön erklärt im Blog von Geardoshit). […]